Brent High has been named associate athletic director for spiritual formation at Lipscomb University. Director of Athletics Philip Hutcheson announced the move Wednesday as part of a reorganization within the department geared towards placing even more emphasis on helping Lipscomb's student-athletes and coaches grow in their Christian walk.

High will oversee leadership training for team captains, a new chaplain program, mission trips, service opportunities, coach retreats and the school's Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter. He will continue to be involved in fundraising with a new focus on raising money for spiritual formation initiatives and opportunities.

Among his goals will be raising $6 million for an endowment that will ensure every Lipscomb student-athlete has the opportunity to go on a team mission trip every year. He will also oversee all sponsorship sales for athletic properties including the new Adoption Rally fundraising program and the annual Don Meyer Evening of Excellence.

"If you were to ask Brent what his personal mission is, he would tell you, 'To help make an eternal difference in the lives of others'. I can think of no way that he will do that more directly than through his leadership in this area," Hutcheson said. "Our goal has been to create programs that encourage our student-athletes to grow in the classroom, as competitors, in service to the community and in becoming more Christ-like in their approach to all areas of their daily lives.

“Brent's love for the Lord, creativity and ability to encourage and connect with our coaches, student-athletes and community make him a natural fit for this position. I am looking forward to the great things that will come in the months and years to follow as a result of his leadership in this arena."

High has served as assistant athletic director at Lipscomb since March 2007, focusing on development and external affairs. He previously served as Lipscomb's sports information director from 1996-1999.

In 1997 he started the university's first Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter. High was a member of the Lipscomb baseball team from 1992-1994. He graduated from Lipscomb in 1996 with a bachelor's degree in communications and was elected Bachelor of Ugliness by his fellow students. He recently completed work towards a master's degree in conflict management at Lipscomb and will graduate in December.

"I am thrilled to have this new opportunity to serve at Lipscomb," High said. "Lipscomb is special because of relationships. My new role will allow me to pursue deeper relationships with our athletes and coaches that will matter in eternity. We will make service to our fellow man a hallmark of our program.

“We will seek out the poor and underprivileged both near and far and show them the Gospel with our actions. In doing so we will be discipling more than 275 student-athletes, providing them with models they can duplicate wherever the Lord leads them after their playing days are finished. If we seek God first He has promised us that everything else we need will be given to us."

High may be best known for bringing Faith Day events to professional baseball stadiums across the country. The events feature a post-game Christian concert with artists like MercyMe, Casting Crowns and Jeremy Camp as well as testimonies from Christian players. Over the past eight years, High's organization, Third Coast Sports, has orchestrated more than 250 Faith Day events with more than 75 teams including the Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, Colorado Rockies, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, L.A. Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers and Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball. Albert Pujols, Anthony Munoz, Josh Hamilton, John Smoltz and Lance Berkman are among the professional athletes who have given their personal testimonies at past events. High and Third Coast Sports have been featured by ABC World News Tonight, NBC Nightly News, CBS Evening News, The New York Times, USA Today, Sports Illustrated, The Paul Harvey Radio Show, ESPN, CNN, Fox News Channel and more than 200 newspapers on four continents.

High has served on the boards of several non-profit organizations including Third Coast Sports Foundation, Crieve Hall Baseball League, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Lighthouse Family Ministries and Back 40 Outreach.

He is a Nashville native and 1992 graduate of John Overton High School. He is married to former Lipscomb basketball All-American Emily Pleasant ('98). They have two sons, Houston (10) and Hunter (7).